Boiler construction



Oc 11i," 1932.

E. J. cuRRAN BOILER CONSTRUCTION original Filed July 30. 1923 4 sheets-sheet 1 A TToRNEYs.

Oct. 11, 1932. F. J. cURRAN 1,882,240

BOILER CONSTRUCTION original Filed July 30, 19'23 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. /A/wnf. (umm/v A BY 'f f fw..

TTORNEYS.

Oct. 1l, 1932. F. J. CURRAN BOILER CONSTRUCTION original Filed July so. 1925' 4 sheets-sheet s IN VEN TOR. 5PM/HJ. (ummm lBY -A TTORNEYS.

Oct. 1l, 1932.

F. J. CURRAN BOILER CONSTRUCTION Original Filed July 30, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 A INVENToR.

FRAN/rj CUR/PAN ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct.. 1l, 1,932

UNITED stares FRANK d'.

cnam, or aan raancrsco, canIroaNIa, assrenon, er rI'EsNn naaienmsn'rs, Iro ernaar rownn, Inc., .e eonronarron or nmnwaan BGILm CONSTRUCTION Application led July l30, 1923, Serial No. 654,?51. Renewed June le, 1932,

The present invention relates to improvements in 4boiler constructions and its particular object is to rovide a boiler that will generate steam wit an extremely high degree of eiiciency. One of the main objects of the invention is to provide a boiler construction in which steam passing upwardly through the steam drum is turned downwardly into the steam drum in such manner as to develop the eicienc of the boiler advantageouslv. Another o jecty of the invention as to provide a boiler construction provided with boiler tubes and means for cutting out at will individual tubes of the boiler. An object or the invention is vto provide a type of boiler construction in which the various boiler tubes, water drums, steam drums and valves coo erate ina manner for efficiently produclng steam. Further objects and advantages of my device will appear as the specification proceeds. The preferred form of my boiler construction is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure l showsa vertical section through the boiler and the lire box, Fi re 2 a horizontal section taken along line I--II of Figure 1, Fi re 3- a horizontal section taken along line III- III of Fi ure 1, Fi ure 4 a horizontal section taken a ong line V-IV of Figure 1, Figure 5 a perspective detail view of an air inlet pipe, Fi re 6 an enlarged sectional detail View o a portion of Figure 2, and Figure 7 an enlarged detail view of the upper left hand portion of Figure 1. While I have shown only the preerred form of my invention I wish it to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made Within the scope of the claim hereto attachedwithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

The re box (1) which is preferably cylindrical in form and o en on top is surrounded by a chamber 2) formed by the c lindrical housing (3), the bottom of the e box being held in spaced relation to the bottom of the housing (3) by means of the stays (4) which are preferably made tubular to present a large heating surface per :weight unit of material used. The re box and the housing may be formed integral,

with a top member (6) closing the top of the chamber (2). L cylindrical compartment or chamber (7) surrounds the chamber (2) and its outer wall (8) which connects with the Wall on top as .shown at (9), is formed to allow air currents introduced into the outer chamber to pass around and underneath the inner chamber Referring particularly to Figure 4 it will be seen that the outer chamber communicates with a tangentially arranged inlet pipe (11) through which air may be forced into the chamber (7) under pressure and caused to rapidly revolve around the inner chamber .(2). A pipe or other suitable conduit (12) 1s supportedin the two cylindrical walls defining theinner chamber in a horizontal positio'n and slanted to approach the general direction of the air currents. This pipe is shown in detail in Figure 5 and is formed with a Hap (13) projected into the chamber (7) in such a manner as to catch part of the air currents revolving through that chamber andto .divert them into the fire box. At its inner end the pipe (12) is provided with a similar flap (14) on the opposite side so as to turn the air currents passing through the pipe into a tangential direction. It should be understood then that the air currents introduced through the pipe (12) rotaJ Whirl in the fire box in the same manner as they rotate in the outer chamber. l: uel is introduced into the fire box ir. radial direction throu h the pipe (16) controlled by a valve (17). efore entering the fire' box the fuel is atomized by the atomizer (18) not shown in detail but described in a co-pending ap lication and thereafter ignited by any suita le means as by thc electrodes (19) To maintain the whirling or rotating motion of the air currents I introduce several other intake pipes (21) evenly distributed peripherally and resembling -in form and arrangement the pipe (12) but preferably made with somewhat smaller flaps so as to catch less air than the 'main pipe (12) which latter is close to the intake (11).

The air whirling around the cylindrical Wall (3) is permitted to enter underneath the bottom of said cylindrical Wall and to be forced into the center of the tire box through a ertures (22) in the bottom of the second c amber and the passage (23) communicatc the air currents whirling through the peripher'al portion ofthe fire box. Downward motion is imparted through the downward curve (27) illustrated in Figure 1 and tangential motion through the lateral curve illustrated at 28) in Figure 4.

his construction ofthe lire box offers the following advantages. The inner chamber (2) which it will be seen later is filled with Water to be converted into steam cools the sides and the bottom of the fire box while absorbing heat units from the same in the most direct manner and allows of the employment of continually maintained extreme eat. This extreme heat isbrought about by the particular construction of the fire box and the means for supplying airand fuel. The rapidly rotatin and whirling air currents are charged direct y after entering the fire box with atomized fuel igniting at the time of its entr into the fire box and cause a complete com ustionof the same even though a heavy low grade fuel be used. The central air currents whirling through the fire box in the op posite direction prevent the formation of cold spots or pockets.

The water circulating system includes a larg? coil (31) wound to form a cylinder of slig tly larger diameter than the fire box the upper end of which is connected through the lpe (32) with any suitable supply of water.

he said coil is disposed above the lire box in such a manner as to enclose a cylindrical space having substantially the same or a little larger diameter than the lire box. The coil is surrounded by a cylindrical wall (33) which latter preferably forms a continuation of the cylindrical wall (3) constituting the division between thechambers (2) and (7),

and a heavy wall (34) of heat-insulating material is placed around the wall (33). The lower end of the coil (31) discharges into the chamber (2). A plurality of conically arf' ranged coils (37 are placed directly above the' fire box in overlying relation, with the coil terminating at its lower end in a pipe (38) extending into the bottom portion of the chamber (2), the ends being preferably ar ranged so as to be evenly distributed throughout the chamber. The upper end of each conical coil (37) terminates in a vertical pipe (41) which latter pipes are turned sideways as shown at'(42) and then upward again to pass through tubular openings of the steam dome (43) as shown at (44). After reaching the. top of the steam dome which latter consists of two plates (46) and (47) disposed in spaced relation by means of the tubular spacing members (48), the pipes are turned back on themselves so as to project into the steam dome. The ends (49) of the pipes are provided with openings (51) allowing the mixture ofthe water and steam produced in the pipes at that time to be discharged into the steam dome. As shown in the detail View of Figure 6 the perforations (51) are arranged to give to the water and steam a tangential direction whereby the mixture is. whirled around in the steam dome and separated by centrifugal force so that the wat-cr is forced outwardly and the steam inwardly. The water settles 'on the bottom plate of the steam dome and is allowed to return to the chamber (2) through the drain pipes (52) which latter extends slightly above the bottom plate of the steam dome as shown at (53) so as to allow a small amount of water to collect on the bottom plate before it is drained olf. lt should be noted that the drain pipes 52) are disposedon the outside of the coil (31) which latter coil is preferably indented for this purpose as shown at (54) in Figure 3. The coil (31) therefore serves to protect the drain pipes (52) from the extreme heat above the fire box. The drain pipes are provided near their bottom with valves (56) which allow the water to run downwardly but which prevent water from being forced upwardly. The valves are well known in the art andtherefore not illustrated in detail.

The steam forced inwardly by centrifugal action is received through perforations by a central pipe (57) extending through the steam dome and terminating belowv the dome in a superheating coil (58) which latter ends into the horizontal pipe (59) leading to the outside of the boiler. The upper end ofthe central pipe (57) connects with the horizontal pipe (61) provided withA a steam gage (62). Each of the coils (37) is provided with a lower shut-off valve (63) immediately above the chamber (2) and with an upper shut-olf valve (64) above the steam dome. The latter valve is shown in detail in Figure 7. In the immediate proximity of this valve is provided a second valve (66) controlling an auxiliary outlet (67) for the vertical pi es (44) communicating with the coils (37). This arrangement allows each single coil with its pipe system to be eliminated from the whole system by closing the two valves (63) and (64) and it furthermore allows each individual coil to be blown off by closing the valve (64) and opening the valve 66) which latter should preferably be a quick acting gate valve well known in the art. A space (68) above the steam dome communicates with the chimney (69) through which the products of combustion escape.

The operation of the boiler may be described as follows: Cold water enters through the pipe (32) into the pre-heating iii' coil (31). Means are provided for maintaining the water in the said re-heating coil at a certain level. Since t ese means are well known in the art and not claimed in the present invention they are not shown in the drawings. The pre-heating coil which while absorbing heat units also protects the Wall (33) surrounding the same and the drain pipes (52) .behind the coil delivers the heated water into the chamber (2) where the water absorbs additional heat while at the same time cooling the walls of the fire box. rlhe tubular form of the stays (d) assists in heating the Water rapidly due to its large heatin surface. .The water as it has become heate rises in the coils (37) where theheat is still further increased due to the fact that the coils (3?) are disposed immediately above the iire box. After assing through the coils (37)v the Water has n turned partly into .steam and it is discharged in the steam chamber through the perforations (5l).

These perorations-are arranged to impart a tangential direction to the mixture of the steam and water which causes the two elements to separate and which forces the steam inwardly while the water settles in the steam dome and is returned through the pipes (52) into the chamber (2). The steam within the steam domepasses through the perforations 55) into the superheating coil (58) and is naliy conveyed to the lace where it is to be used throu h the pipe 9) The pro ucts of combustion rising from the fire box are guided away through the tubular openings in the steam dome and `through the chimney (69).

Ilclaim: In a. device of the character described, a Vertical casing, a tire bon at the bottom of said casing, a steam drum extending across said casing in the upper part thereof and having dues passing therethrough to discharge the heatinggases, a water drum and steam tubes connecting said water drum with said steam drum, said steam tubes passing upwardly through said iues and then turning downwardly into the steam drum at its periphery and discharging steam substantially tangentially of the Wall of the drum, means for cutting out individual tubes from the boiler includin :for each tube a valve connected therewith a ove the steam drum and having a stem extending to the outside of said casing, and means for blowing out said tubes when cut out including pipes connected with said tubes back of said valves and eatending to the outside of said cas' 'I1 F six-ily 

